Abstract

Eighty six promising new barley genotypes and three checks including one indigenous cultivar (Hordeum vulgare L. var Rum) were grown in two successive seasons of 2005 and 2006 to assess the presence of variability for desired traits and amount of variation for different parameters. Genetic parameters, correlations, and partial regressions were estimated for all the traits. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among entries for all the characters. The estimates of genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) and phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) were high for grain yield per plant, biological yield and number of kernels per main spike. Broad sense heritability estimates for various traits ranged from 68 to 99.7%. Grain yield per plant showed high significant positive genetic and phenotypic correlation with only number of kernels per main spike. Multiple correlations of characters (0.36), via. fertile tiller number and number of kernels per main spike which were significant with grain yield were far from the multiple correlation of all characters (0.96). The total variability calculated through multiple correlation in the population for yield improvement accounted by fertile tiller number and number of kernels per main spike was 36 % compared to 96 % accounted by all other characters. It was concluded that more fertile tiller number and number of kernels per main spike are major yield contributing factors in selecting high yielding barley cultivars.

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